2 Timothy 2:5-7

Summary retelling of 2 Timothy 2:5-7

Paul tells Timothy that we must be obedient if we want to be considered a champion in God’s kingdom.  We must work diligently if we want to see the fruit of God’s kingdom.  We must be willing to meditate and think if we want to gain understanding.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Obedience.  It is a word that most of us really don’t like to hear.  It’s also a word that has come up again and again in my life the last few weeks.  But seriously, how many of us really enjoy going the speed limit – especially when other cars go zipping by on our left unpunished?  How many of us really enjoy paying our taxes when we hear about so many people who seem to get away with not paying their full share through legal loopholes?  How many of us truly enjoy doing our household chores when sitting down in front of the television is so much more enjoyable?  However, if we want to wear the crown, we must be obedient!  How many disobedient football teams have ever won the Super Bowl?  How many disobedient students were ever given the title of valedictorian?  How many disobedient employees were ever given a promotion to vice president?

How obedient are you to God’s Word?  What places are the easiest for you to obey?  What places are the hardest for you to obey?

Second Thought:

Hard work.  Here’s another word that we don’t really care to hear about.  How many of us love working hard, getting sweaty, getting dirty, and ending up stiff that night and sore the day after?  Truth be told, I think most of us actually do enjoy it once we are doing it and especially when we can see the completed work at the end.  But in those moments leading up to the hard work, I think many of us dread the task.  But hard work is necessary – especially in the kingdom of God.  It is hard to talk to people about God and teach them about Jesus.  It is hard to practice our faith in a world that would embrace us if we just fall away.  We must approach our faith life with an attitude of working at it every day.

How do you work hard at your faith life every day?  What areas could you stand to work a little harder?

Third Thought:

Thought.  Meditation.  It is something that most of us do not do all that well unless we have been trained.  Most of us would rather be entertained than exert thought.  The problem with thought is that it usually just brings up more questions.  To get those answers we must be obedient and do more hard work.  But it is only through our thinking that we gain understanding about why the hard work and the obedience is so important.

What spiritual concept have you thought hard about lately and how have you grown in your thinking?  How has your thinking helped you understand why the hard work and the obedience to God is really necessary?

Passage for Tomorrow: 2 Timothy 2:8-10